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                                                                    Exhibit 31.1

                                  CERTIFICATION

I, Peter L. Vosotas, certify that:

      1.    I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-KSB of Nicholas
            Financial, Inc.;

      2.    Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
            statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
            necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances
            under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect
            to the period covered by this report;

      3.    Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
            information included in this report, fairly present in all material
            respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash
            flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
            this report;

      4.    The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
            establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
            defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the
            registrant and have:

                  a)    Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or
                        caused such controls and procedures to be designed under
                        our supervision, to ensure that material information
                        relating to the registrant, including its consolidated
                        subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
                        entities, particularly during the period in which this
                        report is being prepared;

                  b)    Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
                        disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this
                        report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the
                        disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the
                        period covered by this report based on such evaluation;
                        and

                  c)    Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's
                        internal control over financial reporting that occurred
                        during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter that
                        has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
                        materially affect, the registrant's internal control
                        over financial reporting; and

      5.    The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed,
            based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
            financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit
            committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons performing
            the equivalent functions):

                  a)    all significant deficiencies in the design or operation
                        of internal control over financial reporting which are
                        reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's
                        ability to record, process, summarize and report
                        financial information; and

                  b)    any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
                        management or other employees who have a significant
                        role in the registrant's internal control over financial
                        reporting.

                  Date: June 29, 2004       /s/ Peter L. Vosotas
                                            ________________________________
                                            Peter L. Vosotas
                                            President & CEO